The 59th Sacramento Autorama - Capitol Idea

Usually it's not much fun being second, but despite the Sacramento Autorama being the world's second longest running indoor car show--after the Grand National Roadster Show--it's a completely different affair to what was once its local cousin (The GNRS starting out as the Oakland Roadster Show in nearby Oakland before its move down south to LA County). Where the GNRS top honor is the America's Most Beautiful Roadster trophy, Sacramento draws from its historic custom ties and awards the World's Most Beautiful Custom trophy. Those ties include the city being the hometown of Dick Bertolucci, George and Sam Barris and home to Harry Westergard throughout his custom career. The Autorama has a featured builder each year, with Dick Bertolucci honored for 2009. Bertolucci's Body Shop has been a Sacramento landmark since the '50s, and Dick had a number of his cars on display at the show.

Held at Cal Expo in Sacramento, in addition to the contenders for the WMBC award, this year the Autorama gave over one whole building to the largest collection of custom Mercs ever assembled in one place to commemorate 70 years of the marque. Famous and historically significant Mercs from '39 to the mid '50s included the Sam Barris Merc, Ohanesian '40, Bailon/Powell '50, Hirohata Merc, Coachcraft '39, Westergard '40, and even a clone of the Pharoahs' Merc from American Graffiti. This room was enough to make attendance mandatory for anyone remotely interested in custom Mercs!

A number of customs were also present in the Suede Room too, probably outnumbering hot rods, with four alone from Masterson Kustom Automobiles, two of which were debuting. This room also saw a panel discussion including Gene Winfield and Sam Barris' son John on Saturday, with John in particular giving some great insight into his father's life.

Of course while the Merc Room was an awe-inspiring experience for virtually everyone, the judges were having a hard time selecting from the contenders for the World's Most Beautiful Custom, but when the votes were in and the fat lady started warbling, the winner emerged as Scott Bonowski's '50 Merc, built by Hot Rods & Hobbies.

2009Dick BeRtolucciAutorama Builder of the Year

Dick Bertolucci was the featured Builder of the Year at the Autorama, and had a number of his cars on display, including this '28 Chevy four cylinder powered hillclimber, dubbed the Gilmour Special, and his '33 Chevy roadster, running a 1950 vintage 292 inline six and Saginaw trans with overdrive. Nostalgic on the topside, it runs a 9-inch and Pinto IFS with disc brakes.

Dick's a Sacramento local, and worked on the Buddy Ohanesian Merc along with Harry Westergard as well as becoming a founder member of the Thunderbolts Capital Auto Club, the oldest continuously meeting street rod club in the US. Now retired, Dick still builds cars for himself.